Bowling game.



W. J. POWELL.

BOWLING GAME.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23. 1914.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

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W. J. POWELL.

BOWLING GAME.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1914.

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BOWLING GAME.

Application filed. July 23, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ocean City, in the county of Cape May and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bowling Games, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has for an object to introduce a feature of amusement into a bowling game, enabling the use of the usual pins, so that the appearance of the game need not differ from that of other familiar games except under operation of the amusement device. That is to say, normally the game will be of ordinary appearance when set ready for play.

A further important feature is to give an improved construction in the mounting of pins and amusement device, and also in the means for resetting pins.

Additional objects and advantages will appear from the construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and shown in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan of a game constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof. Fig. 4 is a detail of a modification. Fig. 5 is a cross section of a modification showing a difierent construction of connections be tween the monkey and pins, whereby connections may be made with different pins at will, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sec tion through one of the pins connected. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a further modification, Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a still further modification, whereby the amusement device may be electrically controlled by one particular pin, in case it aloneis upset, but the amusement device will not be operated in case any other pin is first upset, or upset at the same time. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating a retarding device adapted for use with the last two modifications above mentioned.

There is illustrated a portable alley structure 10 having the deck 11 the rear end of which is slotted as at 12 the series of longitudinal slots here formed having their forward ends transversely alined and on the inner end of the deck. are extended downwardly below the dividing deck portions between the slots alined with the sides of the slots. sufficiently beopening Specification of Letters Patent.

Partitions 13.

Patented Mar. 3(1 1915. Serial No. 852.60%.

low the top of the deck a shaft 14 is mounted transversely of the deck slightly to the rear of the forward ends of the slots 12 upon which there are revolubly mounted pins 15 fitting snugly in the slots and independently movable on the shaft. The pins have downwardly extending counter-balance and resetting portions 16, alined with the upper parts, which (the latter) may be shaped in any desired ornamental fashion. The pins are checked against forward movement from the vertical by engagement against the forward ends of the slots 12. Above the pins there is mounted a bridge 17, alined with the shaft 14, and provided with small leaf springs 18, projected rearwardly, and turned upwardly, being adjusted to bear lightly upon the upper ends of the respective pins when in set position. Valleys 19 are constructed at each side of the deck, which is supported by the legs 20, and at each side of the alley outwardly of the valleys, there is a housing 21 open at the upper side, the shaft 14- eXtending across the housing at each side.

In the present embodiment there are shown five pins 15, although the number may be varied as desired. The three inner ones are mounted directly upon the shaft 14c, while the outer ones are carried respectively at the inner ends of revoluble sleeves 22 engaged on the shaft 14, their outer ends stopping short centrally of the housing 21 and having secured thereon the amusement figures 23, which in the present case are in the form of a monkey. The pins are fixed upon the sleeve in any suitable manner. The body of the monkey may be formed of Wood or other construction followed, as demonkey lies in horizontal position, face downward, head'toward the front endof the alley. The monkey is provided with a counterbalance 24, and together with the sleeve 22 should be made as light as possible. It will be seen that when either or both of the outer pins are knocked down, the respective monkeys will be brought to an erect position, and the housing 21 is so situated that the monkey rises well above the open end thereof. A resetting board 25 is suspended pivotally beneath the deck, upon brackets 26 and 27 revolubly mounted on the shaft 14 at each side of the alley, so that when the board 25 is swung forwardly to horizontal position it will be in position to receive thereunder the resetting portions 16 of the pins when the pins-are down. The board is normally so held by means of a gooseneck iron 28 formed-on the bracket 27 and extending downwardly at its forward. side, to the lower part of which there is attached one end of a helical spring 29, the opposite end of which is attached to the bottom of the alley deck under sufiicient tension to support the board. Connected to the outer endof the gooseneck wardly and thence forwardly around the pulley 31 attached to one of the legs 20, the forward end of the cable being attached to a suitable lever 33 for its reciprocation.

. Movement of the lever in one direction will cause downward movement of the board 25 i and any pins which have been bowled over will be thereby moved to erect position by engagement of their portions 16.

.Ifdesired, count figures may be marked on the bridge 17, on the pins or on the alley, and in the case of the outer pins may be marked on the housing 21,-to which attention will be attracted by the movement of the monkey.

In Fig. 1 thereisshown a detail of a modification in which the monkey may be thrown out of operative relation tothe pin, in this case, the side pin 35 is. mounted directly on the shaft 14 and isprovided at the outer side with a rectangular socket 36. The sleeve 37 is made slidable on-the shaft 15 so that it may be moved inwardly for engagement of its inner squared end in the socket 36 or may be drawn outwardly sufiiciently to allow the pin free movement without operation of the monkey.

It is possible to further apply this invention, adding an element of uncertainty to the appearance of the monkey, by the construction shown in Fig. 5, where the sleeve 40, mounted upon the shaft 14- extends entirely across the alley, and the pins 41 are revolubly mounted thereon. The shaft is longitudinally slotted at the lower side and slidable in the sleeve. Eachof the pins is provided with a radial slot 42 in its lower part, and the shaft is provided with keys 39' adapted to engage individually in any one of certain pin slots for movement with the respective pin to erect the monkey 43, which should be slidableupon an elongated angular part 14 of the shaft 14, and held against lateral movement in any suitable manner. A handle 415 may be provided on the sleeve at one end for its manipulation,

. or suitable connections may be provided for its reciprocation from a distant point.

I My invention is also applicable tojthe ordinary ten-pin bowling game, or the like, one method being indicated in Figs. 7 and '8. In this case the alleyis constructed in any desired and customary manner, and at there is a cable 30 extended rearone-side there is formed a well 46 in which thereispivoted a monkey device 4:7, having a counter-balancing weight 48 sufficient to cause the device to move to erect position. The device is held against such movement by a latch bolt 19 engaged with the stem of the weight, forming a part of the core 50 of 'a' solenoid 51. Beneath the respective 4 77 are mounted to control the circuit between the magnet and anelectric'al source such as a battery 52. Beneath all spots exce t those where upsetting of the pin is desired to operate the monkey, small circuit break-' ers 53 are mounted, held closed by the weight of the respective pins 54:, and beneath those spots at which the moveme'nt of the pin is to cause operation of the monkey, mally held open by the weight of the pin 54. These devices 53 and 55 are in the form of spring pressed pins 57 tending-to project slightly above the upper surface of the deck of the deck small electrical devices a circuit closer 55 is mounted, ncrand limited against projecting farther than V is desired in a suitable manner. In the devices 53, a contact. 58 15 arranged so as to be engaged by thespring "58 at the lower limit of its movement, whilein those 55, a contact 59 is so located as to be engaged by a sprmg 60 when at the upper limit of its movement. Thus if there be but one device 55 the devices 53 and55 are connected in series circuit with the magnet and battery, and if only the single pin over the device 55 be upset, the circuit will be closed causing operation of the monkey. If any other pin be upset however, the circuit will-remain open, cealed position. I 7

,It maybe found desirable to provide a small concentric rack segment 56. on the stem l8 concentricwith the pivotal "axis of the monkey operatively engaged with a geared flywheel '61. v in which another pin falls a little after the first pin, 'the bolt will fly out again under action of the spring 60 tending to hold it in engaged position. By so balancing the monkey that its movement will be slow at first, it may be thus held against. appearing. Or retarding devices maybe used of any suitable construction. 7 i

"The mechanical control of the monkey in the usual game of ten pins may be accomplished after the manner illustrated in Fig. 6, where laterally movable bolts 63 and 62 are provided adapted to engage over the stem 48 of the monkey to hold it against erection, the one being held .yieldably against such engagement, while thebther a an y y in s engagement by'th'e springs 64 connected to a suitable bracket 65. Late'ral arms 66 on the bolts and the monkey will be heldin con- Thus in'case of a'freak play arms 68 projected through suitable openings in respective spots of the deck 70 adapted to be depressed by the weight of the pins 57 to operate the dogs. The corner dog holds the bolt 63 engaged with the stem 48' against the action of the spring 64:, while the other dog or any additional number hold the bolt or similar bolts 62 against en gagement. But one bolt 62 is shown, but any additional number may be employed.

A method for varying the connection of the monkey from a distance is illustrated in Fig. 5, where it will be noted that the pins are distinguished by reference ordinals 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, consecutively from left to right. At the right hand side there is shown a bell crank lever, having a longitudinally slotted arm 71 receiving a pin on the shaft 14: an operating link 72 being connected to the other arm of the lever and extended to any suitable point for operation as desired. Concentric with the pivot of this lever there is a series of figures a and radial arrows, corresponding to the ordinals distinguishing the pins from each other, and indicating the positions to which the lever must be moved to cause appearance of the monkey under movement of any desired pin.

What is claimed:

1. In a bowling game, a deck, a plurality of pin devices thereon, an amusement device at a distance from the pins, and operative connections between the amusement device and at least one pin for operation of the amusement device upon displacement of a single predetermined pin alone.

2. In a bowling game, a deck, a plurality Copiesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the of pins pivoted thereon, a revoluble member connected to at least one of the pins and extending laterally of the deck, for rotation by upsetting of the pin, and an amusement device operatively connected with the outer end of the member aforesaid outwardly of the deck.

3. A game of the class described comprising a deck, a plurality of transversely spaced pin members pivoted thereon for upsetting movement and having downwardly extending portions beneath the deck, an amusement device spaced laterally of the deck, operative connections between at least one pin and the amusement device, a board pivoted to lie above the pivot axes of the pins and movable to engage and return to initial position said downwardly extending portions of the pins, means to oscillate the board, and yelding means to hold it in initial position.

4. A game of the class described comprising a deck, a plurality of pins pivoted thereon and arranged to project vertically above the deck at times, a transversely movable member and means to connect it to at least one of the pins, an amusement device operatively connected with the member laterally outward of the deck a distance, and a housing to conceal the amusement device in initial position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. POWELL.

Witnesses:

MARY T. RUSH, ELIZABETH Z. POWELL.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

